As part of VIVID Festival and as a nod to all things light and ideas, we're exploring the intriguing topic of Enlightenment. VIVID Ideas probes imagination and innovation to explore fresh thinking, creativity and culture to shed light on all that might be possible. Year after year they bring creative catalysts and game changers together to explore big ideas and get us thinking about what might be shaping how we live today and into the future.

HOST PARTNERS: The Calyx Experience, The Royal Botanic Garden Sydney

What better place to ponder the universe, gaze into the unknown and celebrate aliveness than the stunning Calyx nestled in the heart of The Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. The sculptural form of The Calyx is inspired by the very apt meanings embedded within it's name – a husk, a pod, a seeding structure and a synapse in the brain stem – and it prompts people to look inwards, upwards and out into the world, both literally and figuratively. Set amongst ancient trees and new shoots in a place pulsing with life, interconnection and growth, it offers a potent pause and place for reflection and re-connection in the midst of the humming city.

CONVERSATION PARTNER: The Ethics Centre

The Ethics Centre creates the space to talk about the things that matter - issues at the heart and centre of being human. They're committed to injecting a pause into the centre of public life and allowing people to stop, connect with others and explore the ethical dimension of our everyday lives. Ethics extends an invitation to better know ourselves, each other, and our world, where we have the courage to stand up for our values and principles, the wisdom to explore the unknown, the opposed, or the complex, and the imagination and heart to strive for the very best of all we can be.

CONVERSATION PARTNER: The School of Life

The School of Life is a global organisation dedicated to developing emotional intelligence, applying psychology, philosophy and culture to everyday life. They have created welcoming places across the planet, where we can step back and think intelligently about our emotional existence, to create changes in our lives, the lives of others and even the world. Emotional intelligence allows us to feel and explore life in a mindful way, so that we might live more fulfilled lives as individuals and together.

The Ethics Centre creates the space to talk about the things that matter - issues at the heart and centre of being human. They're committed to injecting a pause into the centre of public life and allowing people to stop, connect with others and explore the ethical dimension of our everyday lives. Ethics extends an invitation to better know ourselves, each other, and our world, where we have the courage to stand up for our values and principles, the wisdom to explore the unknown, the opposed, or the complex, and the imagination and heart to strive for the very best of all we can be.